1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to surgical coupling devices for joining tubular and hollow organs such as joining the urethra to the bladder after a radical prostatectomy.
2. Description of Prior Art
Prior patents and patent applications show numerous fixtures for surgically connecting tubular and hollow organs. These include fixtures for joining a graft vessel to a blood vessel, and for joining the urethra to the bladder after prostate removal.
US 2002/0077661 (Saadat) shows a tubular connector with sharp external spikes angled toward the middle of the tube that penetrate tissue for connecting tubular body organs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,036 (Berg) shows a tubular connector with radial fingers at one or both ends. The fingers may be sharp and barbed to penetrate tissue. A delivery tube depresses the fingers for insertion through the wall of a body conduit. However, these fingers do not expand within a plane normal to the axis of the coupling tube as in the present invention. They do not penetrate the sides of the opening radially as in the present invention. Instead, they open from an orientation in line with the periphery of the coupler to rest against the inner wall of the organ, and optionally against the outer wall as well. One of the tubular organs must be attached to the coupler by sutures, unlike the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,280 (Nash) shows an anastomosis coupler with two halves that snap together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,504 (Gifford) shows numerous anastomosis fixtures with sharp fingers that penetrate tissue in various ways. One version has staple fingers that penetrate the side of a tubular organ with a twist motion. However, these fingers are oriented in line with the periphery of the fixture rather than radially as in the present invention. They penetrate the exterior of a hollow organ around an opening rather than expanding radially outward along a plane into the sides of an opening as in the present invention. Gifford requires a second set of counter-rotating fingers to lock it, unlike the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,635 (Sauer) shows male and female coupler components that are inserted in the ends of a tubular organ, fixed to the tissue, then snapped together However, none of the prior devices provide a two-part snap coupler with sharp spokes on each part that expand radially with a twist into the interior wall of a tubular organ and the wall of the opening of a hollow organ, as does the present invention. The present invention is uniquely simple to use, stable and secure, quick and sure to apply, and it does not reduce tissue by overlapping or trimming, as do several of the prior devices. The present invention simply brings the tissue openings in alignment and abutment, without overlap or extra trimming.
An object of the invention is provision of a surgical coupler for joining tubular and hollow organs in a fluid-tight junction with fluid communication between the organs, without sutures, quickly and securely. Another object is to bring together and hold the tissues to be joined in optimum alignment. Another object is to bring the tissues to be joined in direct abutment, without overlapping the tissues or extra trimming, to avoid unnecessary length reduction and tension on the tissues. Another object is to provide a usable fluid communication channel between joined organs while healing proceeds. Another object is elimination of a secondary operation to remove sutures or fixtures. Another object is to minimize invasion, modification, and irritation of surrounding tissues.
These objectives are met in a surgical coupler with two short tubular components that snap together. Each component has semi-flexible barbed spokes radiating from the exterior surface at one end of the tube. The spokes are held temporarily against the exterior of each component by a removable sleeve. Each component and sleeve is inserted into one of two respective organic tubular openings to be joined. The sleeve is removed, and the component is manually turned about its axis in a given angular direction and amount. The spokes expand radially into the tissue of each organ, fixing the component in the opening. The couplers are then pressed together using a hollow catheter and a tractor catheter, connecting them. They hold the tissue openings in alignment and abutment for healing, and provide a fluid communication channel with a liquid-tight seal while the couplers are bio-absorbed.